Go all out by staying in
The best New Year’s Eve party will be on your TV screen – and you get a say on the soundtrack, writes Seanna Cronin
VIEWERS are setting the soundtrack to this year’s New Year’s Eve celebrations on the ABC. Based on the theme “the night is yours”, the national broadcaster put out the call for the public to vote on a party play list for its live broadcast from the Sydney Opera House.
The results may surprise some, returning co-host Zan Rowe says.
“We asked everyone to vote on their favourite songs and it was interesting to see how different people voted in different states for their number one,” she tells The Guide.
“In Victoria and Canberra they voted for Eagle Rock (by Daddy Cool), while in the NT it was Pharrell’s Happy and Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out of My Head was voted number one in Queensland.
“I like that it wasn’t just all old classics. In terms of demographics, people in their 60s and 70s voted for The Rolling Stones’ (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction while people in their 20s voted for Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now. Thanks to (the film) Bohemian Rhapsody there’s been a resurgence in Queen’s music.”
This year’s star-studded concert will feature Aussie rocker Daryl Braithwaite, pop singer Christine Anu, Daddy Cool co-founder Ross Wilson, American singer/songwriter Ben Folds, Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan, Isabella Manfredi (of the Preatures), pop duo Client Liaison, indigenous hip-hop artist Baker Boy, soul singer Kaiit and drummer G Flip.
The broadcast will also serve as the world premiere for a new song by Aussie singer, writer, satirist and actor Tim Minchin.
“I’m really excited about seeing the Aretha Franklin tribute by Casey Donovan and Christine Anu,” Rowe says.
“Ben Folds will be in the country for a personal Christmas event and he got in contact and said, ‘Hey, I heard the New Year’s broadcast is pretty fun.’ He’s a great showman. He’ll perform some covers as well as his own songs. He’s friends with Tim Minchin, who’s going to join Ben for a duet on a classic song. Tim will also be premiering a new song of his own called 15 Seconds.
“I think it’s going to be even better this year. I know that’s a big statement but it’s going to be wall-to-wall hits.”
It didn’t take much to get Rowe back for another night of work on the biggest party night of the year, which is in the middle of her break from hosting Double J radio show Mornings.
“I had such a great time last year,” she says.
“Charlie (Pickering) and I were dancing while the songs were playing and in the ad breaks. We’re working with the same team this year, including the same backing band headed by Ash Naylor.
“The one thing you can’t mess up is that countdown, because those fireworks are going off no matter what. This year I’m going to let Charlie handle that so I can try to not look at the clock and enjoy it.
“Unlike last year, where the night ended with the fireworks, this year the fireworks will happen and Charlie and I will come back on stage for something special.”